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Long-term effects of earthworms (Lumbricus rubellus Hoffmeister, 1843) on activity and composition of soil microbial community under laboratory conditions
- Source :
- Applied Soil Ecology. 150:103463
- Publication Year :
- 2020
- Publisher :
- Elsevier BV, 2020.
-
Abstract
- Observations of earthworm colonization on sites where they were absent previously, such as on post-mining heaps, indicate that they may substantially alter soil conditions as well as soil microbial communities. However, long-term effects of earthworms on microbial activity of soil ecosystems remains poorly understood. To improve this situation, we set up microcosm experiments with clay only, with clay and litter, and with clay, litter and earthworms. Microcosms were sampled after 3, 60, 180 and 395 days of cultivation and divided into three subsamples: clay, litter, and drilosphere (earthworm tunnels and associates casts), when present. Microbial respiration, microbial biomass carbon, species composition, metabolic activity using BIOLOG, PLFA concentration, isoprenoid quinones content and DGGE fingerprints were analysed in all microcosms and at all subsamples. Microbial biomass carbon and basal soil respiration were significantly affected by type of microcosms and time of sampling. Microbial biomass in drilosphere was significantly higher than in clay and litter. The CFU (colony forming units) were significantly affected by presence of earthworms having significantly higher CFU in drilosphere than in all other subsamples. Analysis of PLFA indicated highest relative biomass of fungi and bacteria in clay from microcosms with earthworms. The DGGE analysis showed various compositions of microbial communities among subsamples from various treatments taken at different time. Finally, our results revealed significant effect of earthworms on activity and biomass of soil microbial community under long-term laboratory incubation.
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
Ecology
biology
Chemistry
Earthworm
Soil Science
Biomass
04 agricultural and veterinary sciences
biology.organism_classification
Lumbricus rubellus
complex mixtures
01 natural sciences
Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)
Soil respiration
Microbial population biology
Environmental chemistry
040103 agronomy & agriculture
Drilosphere
Litter
0401 agriculture, forestry, and fisheries
Microcosm
010606 plant biology & botany
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 09291393
- Volume :
- 150
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Applied Soil Ecology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi...........7a1fc7edce04a823f2793554e75a0861